On the Anti-Islam Movement: "In many cases, running an anti-Islam group was a lucrative business. Most leaders earned six-figure salaries, and their nonprofits took in millions of dollars in donations."

On CAIR:"There are many groups that address anti-Muslim postures in the U.S. One of the most prominent is the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), which acts to protect Muslims' civil rights. It uses its position as a national organization to speak out against anti-Muslim discrimination and prejudice."

American CourtsUsing Foreign Law That Incorporates Religious Law (Washington Post)American courts rightly do consider the law of foreign countries that apply sharia. In doing so, courts don't purport to decide what Islamic law actually requires, or risk taking sides in intradenominational debates (or other debates) within a religion (which would potentially endorse one or another religious view, or discriminate among religious observers). They simply try to identify what law would be applied by the courts of the foreign country, whether that country is Saudi Arabia, Israel or Greece.

CAIR: Chicago Mosque, Churches Vandalized with Hate MessagesIbrahim Hooper, spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, based in Washington, D.C., followed the news Wednesday and posted the information online. "It sounds like you have an equal opportunity bigot," Hooper said. "It happens all too often. It's not just mosques, as we see in this incidence."

CAIR-SFBA:Privacy Groups Urge Oakland City Council to Scrap DACA long list of privacy groups sent two letters this week to council members citing the surveillance hub's potential to infringe of citizen's rights, its unfunded costs and an incomplete privacy policy, not yet vetted by the public.

Ask Va. Sheriff to Drop Trainer Who Claims CIA Director is Secret MuslimTrainer says mosques have 'no right to exist' and that Muslims are commanded to 'hate and despise Jews and Christians'

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 2/20/14) -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today called on Virginia Muslims and all those concerned about the proliferation of Islamophobia and other forms of bigotry in our society to contact the Culpeper County Sheriff's Officeand ask that it drop a three-day training program on "Jihadi Networks in America" that will be offered next week by John Guandolo, a notorious anti-Muslim conspiracy theorist.

[NOTE: CAIR and representatives of the local Muslim community have asked to meet with the sheriff to discuss Guandolo's anti-Muslim bigotry, but have received no response. We have been informed that officers from Arlington, Va., may also attend the training. The Virginia State Police have confirmed that "no personnel from the Virginia State Police will be in attendance of this training."]

In an article published yesterday by Virginia's Free Lance-Star, an official with the Southern Poverty Law Center -- an organization that monitors hate groups -- said:

"Guandolo, who resigned from the FBI ahead of a misconduct investigation, has made a career out of spreading anti-Muslim conspiracy theories. Most recently, he claimed that CIA director John Brennan is a secret Muslim agent for the Saudis. It's hard to believe that Culpeper County Sheriff's Office would knowingly get involved with such a disreputable figure."

Take action: (As always, be polite and respectful. Hostile comments can and will be used to harm the image of the Muslim community.)

Contact Sheriff Scott H. Jenkins to express your concerns about officers in his department being trained by a notorious Islamophobe and conspiracy theorist who claims the CIA director is a secret Muslim and that American Muslims should not be granted constitutional rights. [You can sign our click-and-send letter.]

Guandolo detailed his bizarre claim about the CIA director's alleged conversion to Islam in an interview with another notorious Islamophobe, Robert Spencer.

He also asserts that American Muslims "do not have a First Amendment right to do anything," refers to America's mosques and Islamic centers as "barracks" and falsely claims "it is a permanent command in Islam for Muslims to hate and despise Jews and Christians."

Additionally, an article published by the Tennessean on February 15, 2012, reports Guandolo's belief that mosques are "front organizations for the Muslim Brotherhood with no right to exist."

During a 2012 anti-Muslim training in Tennessee, Guandolo was videoed shoving a local news camera that attempted to record the training. He is linked to one of nation's the most vicious anti-Muslim groups, ACT! for America.

Washington Monthly magazine also published a major investigative article showing similar anti-Islam attitudes by private trainers of law enforcement agencies.

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

(SOUTHFIELD, MI, 2/20/2014) -- The Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MI) today welcomed the settlement of a lawsuit against the St. Clair County Sheriff to modify the religious dietary screening process at the county jail.

The lawsuit challenged the constitutionality of the jail's religious dietary screening process after Aaron Utley, a former inmate at the jail, was denied a halal (Islamically permissible) diet request.

[NOTE: Guidelines for halal food are similar to, but less restrictive than kosher practices.]

The policy required inmates of different faith backgrounds, including Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Christianity, to pass a detailed test written by the jail that judged their knowledge of scripture in order to receive a religious diet. Utley was denied a halal food diet after receiving a "failing" grade on the Islam "test."

The new policy that went into effect today eliminates the religious "test" and requires the jail to instead allow inmates requesting a religious diet to provide letters attesting to their faith by members of clergy and offer other evidence supporting the sincerity of their religious beliefs. It also allows the inmates an opportunity to explain the sincerity of their belief in their own words.

"We welcome the jail's decision to modify the religious dietary screening policy to one that does not violate the constitutional rights of inmates of all faith backgrounds requesting a religious diet," said CAIR-MI Staff Attorney Lena Masri.

Shereef Akeel, Esq. of Akeel and Valentine, PLC, is co-counsel on the lawsuit.

The Florida chapter of CAIR recently welcomed a court ruling that kosher meals must be served to Jewish prison inmates and called on the state's Department of Corrections to extend this decision by serving halal food to Muslim inmates.

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

The'Islam is Different' Argument (Washington Post)Our legal system's recent interactions with Muslim claimants have largely followed the same pattern. Our traditional legal rules can function just as well in the coming years, whether as to Muslims or as to others, so long as the legal system subjects Muslims to the same rules under which Christians, Jews and others live.

FBI:Men Planned Guerilla War Against Federal AgenciesDuring the online conversations they discussed using guerilla war tactics and planned to launch the attacks against the government this month. They specifically targeted several federal agencies, including the Transportation Security Administration, Department of Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CAIR Seeks Withdrawal of Va. State Accreditation for Anti-Muslim TrainingMuslim civil rights group, community leaders meet with Culpeper County sheriff

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 2/21/14) -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today called on Virginia's Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) to withdraw its accreditation for a three-day training program on "Jihadi Networks in America" that will be offered next week by John Guandolo, a notorious anti-Muslim conspiracy theorist.

CAIR said an article in a local newspaper noted that "the training will count toward credits for the Department of Criminal Justice Services and that deputies need to attend 40 hours a year of training."

In a letter sent today to DCJS Director Garth Wheeler, CAIR outlined concerns about Guandolo's history of anti-Muslim bigotry, including his bizarre claim that the current CIA director is a secret Muslim, and stated: "We respectfully request that the Department of Criminal Justice Services withdraw its accreditation for this hate-filled training program." Wheeler responded by saying that he would look into the matter.

A similar letter was sent to Mike Harvey, executive director of the Rappahannock Regional Criminal Justice Academy, the agency that actually approved the DCJS accreditation.

"Virginia's Department of Criminal Justice Services should not provide accreditation to an anti-Muslim program any more than it would accredit a presentation by the Ku Klux Klan or other hate groups," said CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper. "The Rappahannock Regional Criminal Justice Academy should immediately withdraw its DCJS accreditation of this hate-promoting program."

Earlier today, representatives of the Muslim community met with Culpeper County Sheriff Scott H. Jenkins. Muslim participants in the meeting say the sheriff displayed goodwill and proposed several steps that Muslims agree could alleviate their concerns. CAIR and the local Muslim leaders will monitor developments over the few days.

Guandolo also asserts that American Muslims "do not have a First Amendment right to do anything," refers to America's mosques and Islamic centers as "barracks" and falsely claims "it is a permanent command in Islam for Muslims to hate and despise Jews and Christians."

Additionally, an article published by the Tennessean on February 15, 2012, reports Guandolo's belief that mosques are "front organizations for the Muslim Brotherhood with no right to exist."

During a 2012 anti-Muslim training in Tennessee, Guandolo was videoed shoving a local news camera that attempted to record the training. He is linked to one of nation's the most vicious anti-Muslim groups, ACT! for America.

Washington Monthly magazine also published a major investigative article showing similar anti-Islam attitudes by private trainers of law enforcement agencies.

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

Hate Group Pushes New Anti-Islam Textbook Bill Introduced in TennesseeA fight over content in Tennessee's social studies textbooks is part of an emerging national effort by groups who believe God commands Christians to support the nation of Israel and that Islamic radicals are the biggest problem in America. . .Lisa Moore of Christiana and a member of ACT! for America wrote a guest column about the issue. . ."If you're OK with your children/grandchildren being taught extreme Islamic Bias and indoctrination. . .ignore the fact that your children's minds are being stolen right out from under your nose and it is all indeed part of the grand design to bring this country and everything it stands for to its knees." Moore is a plaintiff in a lawsuit that seeks to stop construction of the Murfreesboro Islamic Center.

The Clear Anti-Muslim BiasBehind Anti-Shariah Laws (RNS)These laws, which have passed in seven states, are the brainchild of anti-Muslim activists bent on spreading the illusory fear that Islamic laws and customs (also known as Shariah) are taking over American courts.

CAIR-MI:St. Clair County Jail Implements New Policy for Halal DietsA lawsuit filed last year by the Council on American-Islamic Relations claimed that policy was unconstitutional. The case concerned Aaron Utley, a Muslim man and a former inmate at the jail, who was denied a Halal diet – in keeping with Islamic tradition – after failing a test on Islam. But "the government may not test knowledge of faith," said Lena Masri, a staff attorney for the Michigan Chapter of CAIR, who added that the religious tests were so difficult that most inmates were failing them. The tests have now been eliminated.

CAIR: Virginia Sheriff Meets with CAIR Over Anti-Muslim TrainingJenkins met Friday with Corey Saylor of the D.C.-based Council on American–Islamic relations and Dr. Nabeel Babar, director of the Islamic Center of Culpeper, both of whom asked the sheriff to cancel the training sessions scheduled for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at Germanna Community College's Daniel Technology Center. The sessions will be led by former FBI agent John Guandolo, whom the CAIR called a "notorious anti-Muslim conspiracy theorist" in a release earlier this week.

MA:Student at Mansfield's Al-Noor Academy Knows Her MathDina Atia, an eighth-grader at Al-Noor Academy in Mansfield, received a certificate from the Mathematical Association of America for scoring in the top 5 percent nationwide in its American Mathematics Contest.

(SEATTLE, WA, 2/22/2014) – On Monday, February 24, the Washington state chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-WA) will hold a news conference to ask the FBI to investigate apparently bias-motivated incidents targeting a mosque in that state.

Early this morning, worshipers found anti-Muslim hate rhetoric scrawled on books left in the parking lot of the Islamic Center of Bothell, in Bothell, Wash. This was the third recent incident targeting the mosque. On two previous occasions, signs for the house of worship were burned and vandalized.

In December, CAIR urged a hate crime probe of graffiti sprayed on the Islamic Society of Appalachian Region near Princeton, W.Va. The graffiti spray-painted on the mosque and its sign made obscene references to "Allah," the Arabic word for God. Mosque members say the house of worship was similarly targeted following the 9/11 terror attacks.

In response to previous attacks on American mosques, CAIR published a booklet called "Best Practices for Mosque and Community Safety" designed to be used by mosque officials, Muslim school administrators and other community leaders and activists who seek to identify and eliminate vulnerabilities to bias-motivated attacks.

To request a free e-copy of CAIR's "Best Practices for Mosque and Community Safety," click HERE.

CAIR recently published a major report, "Legislating Fear: Islamophobia and its Impact in the United States," which identifies 37 organizations dedicated to promoting the type of anti-Islam prejudice that can lead to bias-motivated incidents targeting American Muslims.

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

CAIR-OKSays Mandating the Pledge of Allegiance Contradicts Its ContentsAdam Soltani, executive director of CAIR-Oklahoma, offered the following statement: "We believe that mandating the Pledge of Allegiance contradicts its contents. The liberty discussed in the Pledge of Allegiance includes the right to make that pledge freely rather than by compulsion. We dishonor the Pledge of Allegiance by mandating its recital."

"The passage of such legislation also has the potential of infringement on First Amendment rights. The pledge of allegiance is truly a sign of patriotism, however upholding our constitution is the best way to express our patriotism."

CAIR:Critics Attack Wrong Target for Pentagon Change (Time)Those seeking to show Muslims in the best light don't appreciate critics blaming Muslims for the Sikhs' push for changes at the Pentagon. "This is all part of the Islamophobia industry," says Ibrahim Hooper of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. "For them, any accommodation of Muslims in the military is going to lead to the overthrow of the Constitution and the imposition of sharia law."

Conservative Legal Expert: No Need for Anti-Islam Legislation (Washington Post)I think many other complaints about incidents of alleged "creeping Sharia" in American law are misguided, partly because the complaints miss the way those incidents simply reflect well-settled (and sound) American law. Indeed, the alternative approach that I offer is, I think, a conservative approach. It urges courts to continue following well-established American legal traditions rather than distorting those traditions either in favor of Islam or against.

Oklahoma GOP CongressmanStand There While Anti-Muslim Tea Partyer Calls for Obama's DeathThe woman explained some bizarre conspiracy theory about the President "shipping" Muslims into our country through pilots and commercial jets." She then exlained that, of course, President Obama needs to be executed as an enemy combattant. All the while, Bridenstine looked on and offered no disagreement, or recognition of the fact that the woman had potentially just committed a crime.

National Lawyers Guildto Honor CAIR-SFBA DirectorZahra Billoo is the Executive Director for the CAIR San Francisco Bay Area (CAIR-SFBA) chapter, where she strives to promote justice and understanding at local and national levels. Since joining CAIR-SFBA in 2009, Zahra has embraced her roles as community organizer and civil rights lawyer. She frequently provides trainings at local mosques and universities as part of CAIR's efforts to empower the community, while building bridges with allies on key civil rights issues. Zahra also represents victims of discrimination and advocates for positive policy changes that uphold civil rights for all. The NLG interviewed Zahra here.

Former Editor Alleges Pro-Israel Bias at Rutgers' Student Newspaper (Star-Ledger)"I wear a scarf on my head. I believe it was in part because of these things and the polarized political environment at Rutgers that I was placed under a microscope as soon as I took up my position as opinions editor. There is strong evidence to support the claim," Al-Khatahtbeh writes.

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

CAIR:Pakistani Exchange Student in Coma Faces Flight Back Home (Duluth News Tribune)The family is from Faislabad, the third-largest city in Pakistan with more than 2 million people. The brothers' father died in 2005, and they are not well off, Shahraiz said. But they've been getting help from the Council on American-Islamic Relations. Ibrahim Hooper, the group's national communications director, said CAIR normally deals with discrimination cases and civil-rights issues. But this case seemed important enough to attract the organization's attention, he said. Shahraiz first contacted CAIR's Minnesota office.

Some Mexican CatholicsNow Find God in Islam (Denver Post)Evangelicals, Protestants and Jehovah's Witnesses now account for 8 percent of Mexicans who identify with a religion. And a small yet growing group of converts are seeking spiritual salvation in Islam. In fact, Pew estimates Mexico will be home to 126,000 Muslims by 2030, up from 111,000 in 2010.

How Do You End Up Slaughtering Muslims?By Blaming Muslims for Religious Violence. (Slate)The lesson here isn't that all Muslims are innocent, or that Christians and Buddhists are dangerous, or that one religion is worse than another. The lesson is that the more you fixate on blaming one religion, the more you sink into the cycle of sectarian hatred. And when restraint and self-restraint give way, you end up with sectarian violence.

In Iowa, a Lasting Symbol of American Islam (Al Jazeera America)The Mother Mosque and those pieces of history lost to the waters of the Cedar River represented some of Islam's earliest roots in North America. The building is widely recognized as the continent's oldest mosque, in the sense that it was the first structure to be built from the ground up specifically as a mosque.

Islamophobia Watch:Religious Discussion Dominates Idaho Zoning Hearing on MosqueThe Rev. Jim Jones of the Blazing Grace Church in Pocatello brought a copy of the Koran to the lectern. He said Islam faith preaches intolerance of others and promotes the killing of Christians and Jews. "I get very fearful because I live close to this place," he said about the proposed Islamic Center.

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 2/14/14) -- A prominent national Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization today called on the Culpeper County Sheriff's Department in Virginia to dropnotorious anti-Muslim conspiracy theorist John Guandolo, who is scheduled to offer a three-day program later this month on "Jihadi Networks in America."

In a letter to the sheriff delivered today, Corey Saylor, director of the Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations' (CAIR) Department to Monitor and Combat Islamophobia, wrote in part:

"Mr. Guandolo has a lengthy record of anti-Muslim extremism and unprofessional behavior. His views on Islam are the equivalent of historical anti-Catholic and anti-Semitic falsehoods. Guandolo offers only his own prejudiced and inaccurate conspiratorial views, not solid counterterrorism training."

As noted by the Southern Poverty law Center (SPLC), Guandolo is "a disreputable character, who regularly attacks the U.S. government, claims that the director of the Central Intelligence Agency is a secret Muslim agent for the Saudi government and says that American Muslims 'do not have a First Amendment right to do anything.'"

He detailed his bizarre claim about the CIA director's alleged conversion to Islam in an interview with another notorious Islamophobe, Robert Spencer.

In his training materials, Guandolo refers to America's mosques and Islamic centers as "barracks" and falsely claims "it is a permanent command in Islam for Muslims to hate and despise Jews and Christians." Additionally, an article published by the Tennessean on February 15, 2012, reports Guandolo's belief that mosques are "front organizations for the Muslim Brotherhood with no right to exist."

Guandolo is a former FBI agent who had to resign after it was revealed that he had sexual relationships with agents and a key government informant. During a 2012 anti-Muslim training in Tennessee, he was videoed shoving a local news camera that attempted to record the training.

He is linked to one of nation's the most vicious anti-Muslim groups, ACT! for America.

Following calls for reform by CAIR and other groups following revelations of apparently widespread anti-Muslim bias in the training of law enforcement, security and military personnel nationwide, the Obama administration removed biased and inaccurate materials about Islam from trainings.

Washington Monthly magazine also published a major investigative article showing similar anti-Islam attitudes by private trainers of law enforcement agencies.

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.